THE BBC’S return to live boxing has been thrown into chaos with Jeamie Tshikeva PULLING OUT of his fight against Frazer Clarke.
Tshikeva – known as TKV – was due to challenge Clarke for the vacant British heavyweight title on October 25 in Derby.
But SunSport understands the 31-year-old North Londoner has withdrawn from the fight due to a muscle strain suffered in training.
The BBC and promoter Boxxer – who signed a multi-year broadcast deal with the Beeb – are now poised to reschedule the event to November 29.
It means there will be no heavyweight clash with Fabio Wardley now taking on Joseph Parker on DAZN PPV next Saturday free of TV competition.
But the BBC’s proposed new date would see them go up against the return of Ben Whittaker – who makes his Matchroom debut on November 29.
TKV is coming off a controversial knockout loss to David Adeleye in April while Clarke beat Ebenezer Tetteh in his comeback bout in the same month.
The two were in line to headline on on BBC 2 with the undercard streamed on iPlayer.
Boxxer – founded by Ben Shalom – had a four-year deal with Sky worth £36million after Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing became exclusive to streamers DAZN.
But Sky passed up on the chance to renew its deal with Boxxer, who later struck the historic deal with the BBC in August.
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The BBC made history in 1938 by televising the UK’s first boxing match – when Eric Boon defeated Arthur Danahar.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the BBC aired boxing on special occasions, including Lennox Lewis’ 2001 KO of Hasim Rahman.
David Haye and Audley Harrison also boxed on the Beeb – but the last fight shown on the station was in 2005.
In 2022, two Welsh title fights were aired – but only on BBC Wales and iPlayer.
Meaning Clarke’s British title fight was due to be the first on primetime BBC for over 20 years.
